When a product has the term ‘Genuine’ as a prefix, our natural understanding points us to perceive it as 100% real, untainted, unadulterated – pure! From Genuine gold in accessories to genuine ingredients in food products, our degree of trust goes up a notch the moment our eyes lend on the term ‘Genuine’.
Unfortunately, genuine has slowly lost its authenticity. It has evolved into a marketing term that can be easily abused. Quite like the “pure cotton” claim – Yes, there is cotton, and a lot of other stuff too. Or tech products that claim to use recycled materials, fruit juices that claim to use real fruit and the endless list of “sugar-free” products… These marketing figures of speech can be very sneaky.
But the abuse doesn’t get any worse than in the leather market. Every product is sold as genuine leather but there is so much going underneath. So much so that the real leather product makers have to coin the term “full grain leather” to set itself apart from genuine leather (which is not really genuine).
Why is Genuine leather bad?
Genuine leather is technically leather, but there is a lot more going on with it. Nowadays, the term leather is not restrained to cowhide, but even pig and goat hides too. Furthermore, it can also include discarded scraps of leather. Basically, you can take cowhide, goat hide, pig hide, and even scraps, sand down the surface, process it, and voila – you have a genuine leather product ready for the market.
What is Full-Grain Leather?
Simply put, full-grain leather is the real deal. Made out of a pure and unadulterated single piece of cowhide. No adulteration, no added scrapes. Not just that, even the cowhides go through a thorough inspection to ensure that the hide is free of any blemishes or scars. This means that full-grain leather comes from animals who had a relatively peaceful and calm life
Thus, full-grain leather is far more durable and stronger than other leathers. All of its oil-absorbing properties remain intact and it fairs very well for ages through wear and tear. All in all, full-grain leather is the most humane, durable, and long-lasting type of leather money can buy.
Why Full-Grain Leather is better
The reason behind full-grain leather’s quality and durability is hidden in its raw material. The hide is made up of 3 layers – grain, junction, and split (or suede). The grain is the topmost layer, it is the toughest part of the hide, with a very rigid and strong structure. This gives full-grain leather its signature properties.
After that, the junction is basically what is between the suede layer to the grain layer. This is where the fiber starts to loosen up. Then comes the weakest suede layer. It is soft and not as durable as grain.
Full-Grain Leather products at Ledereign
Like every leather enthusiast, Ledereign also uses full-grain leather for its leather accessories such as a camera strap. They are more durable, comfortable, and stylish. It stands out in comparison to regular camera straps and genuine leather products. Not just that, we offer customization and varied strap styles, so you can really personalize as per your convenience.
